I raised the issue of pay for substitute teachers three weeks ago. I am still getting queries from substitute teachers who have not been paid proper wages due to what appears to be a mess-up in the Department of Education and Skills. The Minister promised that he would sort it and it has not been sorted. He also promised that he would give information about it. The only information that substitute teachers who are down money have is the information on social media or from when they can get through to the Department or Revenue, which they can find very difficult. I would be grateful if the Minister would tell the Dáil when this will be resolved and when he will pay those wages.

Can he institute a campaign within his Department to let these substitute teachers know what is going on? He is desperate for substitute teachers because there is such a shortage and we should not be doing anything to put them off. They deserve to be paid their wages.

This is a difficult issue for substitute teachers who find themselves in this position. Officials in the Department have been working very closely with the Revenue Commissioners. A new online system is having initial difficulties and there are anomalies with personal public service, PPS, numbers but I am glad to be able to say today that this week 533 substitute teachers and 177 non-teaching staff will be paid. We still have to work through another cohort. I am happy to give the Deputy a daily update because I hope the remaining teachers will be sorted within the next few days.

I also want to acknowledge these substitute teachers who have had to deal with this very difficult situation. They have been in touch with the Department because they needed reassurances to pay rent and mortgages and we were happy to provide them. Teachers are due holiday pay at Easter. We are trying to bring that forward in the next couple of weeks as an acknowledgement and as a support for them having come through financial hardship.